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    NASA's #NextGiantLeap

    The first humans who will step foot on Mars are walking the Earth today.

    "The first humans who will step foot on Mars are walking the Earth today."

    You know we've been to the moon. Here's how we're preparing for our Next Giant Leap – sending humans to Mars!

    The International Space Station is home to NASA astronauts 260 miles above Earth – and we've been living there continually for almost 14 years.

    And they're getting a coffee maker (thanks European Space Agency!)

    A trip to the moon = three days. A journey to Mars = six-nine months.

    Our astronauts will ride to Mars inside the crew capsule we're building for their journey – Orion.

    Once our Mars astronauts are in space, we'll need new systems – like solar electric propulsion - to get them to the Red Planet.

    NASA needs to know more about the Red Planet.

    We're going to find an asteroid, tow it to a stable orbit around the moon, and have astronauts study it.

    Then bam: Americans take the first steps on Mars!

    And when they get back to Earth, they'll meet with a future POTUS – just like the Apollo 11 astronauts did this week!